Oniichan
by Mysteriol
Summary: And like all brothers, he would always be watching out for Tomoyo.


Cardcaptor Sakura

Author Notes: 

I've just finished my CCS reruns again during the hols, and once again, I love the way Syaowie-kun is so protective like an oniichan to Tomoyo-san! Growing up without a single brother has deprived me of the feeling you get which makes you feel safe, protected and secure, or to have a guy to flaunt to your friends and make you proud. Awww, that perhaps explain the sudden notion to write a Syao/Tomoyo friendship-more-like-sibling fic.

It's not very long, and it came out more like a spur of the moment. Review, and I shall offer cookies to all! )

Well, I'm an ExT fan after all, and heck! I couldn't resist the temptation to throw in a little ExT stuff in here with Syaowie still . Whee.

**Oniichan**

Syaoran sat at his seat and looked diagonally to his right.

He sighed, and looked to the cherry blossom tree standing erect outside the window. It was another breezy day, but other than that, the sun was shining brightly over Tomoeda, and everything appeared normal. Yamazaki was telling a lie again, Chiharu was pulling his ear as usual, and Sakura would be late by a few minutes again.

Everything appeared normal. Everyone was happy.

_Demo…_

He frowned and rested his chin on one propped elbow on the table. His auburn tendrils tickled his matching-colored eyes, and he brushed them away. He scanned the classroom. Everyone was smiling, wasn't it so?

He sighed again, a small, inaudible sound that never quite flowed with his breath. He leant back on his chair and folded his arms, his eyes fixated on a certain someone.

All but she.

She smiled, yes, she did. She waved and laughed. She giggled. She joked. But she was never, never happy.

Syaoran clenched his fists. He pictured an image of an evil incarnate in his mind. Someone that resembled very closely to a miniature verison of Clow Reed. Huge glasses, Chesire cat grin, ivory features, always smiling his sinister grin.

He cringed involuntarily. The more he thought about _that _mage, the more he wanted to kill him.

He pictured five of his knuckles smashing the side of _his _jaw. Now, that image appeared more fascinating than the last one.

Syaoran blew his fringe away from his vision. He was getting more angry, the more the images of Hiiragizawa Eriol conjured in his mind. Fine that he teased him all the time, but surely he need not hurt _her _that way, right?

_Even if he had not meant to do so. _Syaoran sighed for the umpteenth times and looked away.

Living with a million sisters (or so it seemed to him) had made him immensely sensitive to a woman's feelings. He was not exactly blind to the people around him and how they felt, especially when Daidouji Tomoyo had been his friend for many years.

He stared ahead again, at the same head full of silky curls. She was pouring over her history essay, deep in thought as she bit the tip of her pencil. He hated doing this, but she had been so much of an encouragement back then, helping him, motivating him, dropping him hints.

Syaoran coughed.

"Ahem."

It apparently was not working.

"A-Ahem!"

It caught her attention. She turned around, and smiled. "Gomen nasai! I was busy completing my homework. Ohayou, Li-kun."

"O-Ohayou." A light flush tinged his cheeks. He hated personal talks, but he hated seeing his friend upset even more.

Tomoyo sensed his unease, and looked at him intently. "Is there anything you want, Li-kun?"

He coughed again, looking to the ground this time, taking immense interest in it. "Anou…" He sounded like a goofball. It reminded him of that time when he tried to confess to Sakura, and Kero-chan had to jump in and--

He felt his ears go hot, and he stiffened.

Tomoyo giggled.

He looked up abruptly at her silvery laughter, but paused when he caught hold of the hint of sadness hemming at her eyes. Living with so many sisters had not helped him overcome his nervousness over heart-to-heart talk, especially not to someone like a toy company heiress who could read him like an open book.

"Daidouji," he began, not knowing where this would lead to, "I just…I just…"

"Hai?" Her curious eyes looked up at him and bore into his, but she was smiling softly still. He eyed her smile, and wondered truly if it was real or merely just a façade she had to practice day by day.

"Anou…" He looked away. His fingers were gripping his foolscap papers tightly now. He was not always comfortable conveying his concern to his friends. "I just wanted to ask if you were okay."

Silence blanketed around them, save for Chiharu's scream from a distance before she launched herself on Yamazaki to pull him away before he began his lying antics once again.

Syaoran avoided her eyes.

Tomoyo was surprised into silence for a while, before she gave a smile, "Li-kun, why would I not be?"

"Anou…" He wanted the floor to die and gobble him up. Had he been wrong all this time then? Surely he was correct about the hollow look in her eyes. She had not been happy all this time, right? Or was he just being over-sensitive? "I just thought…"

He sighed and met her gaze finally. "A-Ah, never mind."

Tomoyo's smile faltered. "Ah?"

Syaoran waved his hands frantically before him. "It's just, it's just--"

He bowed down his head, his hands softly landing on his lap. He merely wanted her to be happy again.

"You don't look too happy these days." His voice came almost inaudibly. She had to lean in to catch his words.

Tomoyo was caught off-guard for a short moment, before she turned to meet his mahogany eyes fully. "Li-kun, why do you say so?" She had smiled all this time, was it not? She had thought her masquerade had been played to the most flawless extent. Surely he had not seen through it?

Silence.

Syaoran was too embarrassed to return her gaze. "I just…Ah, never mind." Not even Wei had ever taught him to converse properly with a lady. He hated prying into others' personal affairs.

Tomoyo's gaze softened in understanding, before she leant forward and placed her hand above his.

He looked up in surprise.

Her smile was affectionate, and her eyes were glistening with a kind of emotion that defied definitions.

"Arigatou, for worrying about me, Li-kun."

For the first time, in that smile of hers, and those amethyst eyes, she opened to him, and allowed him to see the melancholy suffused in them. He took awhile to process her words, before a tender smile tilted his lips.

"Ah." He simply nodded, and gazed down at her hand placed over his.

Just like a sister would to her brother.

He looked up, "If Hiiragizawa is to upset you even further, tell me, and I'll punch him in the ribs for you."

Her eyes grew wide, and her hand fell back to her side.

This time, it was he who leant forward and looked into her eyes. "Hiiragizawa might be an idiot from head to toe, but he's still a gentleman when it comes to the matters of the heart. I'm sure even if he does not share your feelings, he'll appreciate listening to it."

Syaoran smiled and affectionately ruffled her hair, "Those were your words, Daidouji."

Tomoyo's lips parted in surprise.

"Zettai daijoubu." He said, his eyes set on hers.

It was a while before she returned his smile, and a tear hung at the corner of her eyes. Amethyst fused with silvery droplets, as she nodded her head affirmatively.

"Arigatou," and as if on the spur of the moment, she added lightly as her eyes twinkled at his, "Oniichan."

Syaoran blinked, before a tender smile lit his features.

_Oniichan…_

Her fingers left his, and she returned back to her work. He propped an elbow on the table, and rested his chin on his palm. There was a smile to her lips now, and even that hint of melancholy in her eyes was fading away fast.

He looked to the cherry blossom tree outside and closed his eyes.

And like all brothers, he would watch over her always.

**Owari **

Awww that seriously made me want to go up to any syao-kun picture and kiss it and hug it so bad that it'll get all squashed! Syaowie has such a selfless, kind, tender character that even a thousand-word essay cannot do him justice, ne!

Clickee on the review button and I shall give you a syao-kun plushie!

mysterio000


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